Budget lets ICT down

The discussion titled 'Proposed Budget 2004-05: Focus on ICT Sector' was participated by businesspeople, government representatives and members of Basis, BCS, Ispab and BIJF.

Most speakers criticised the poor allocation, lack of special measures and imposition of import duties in the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2004-2005.

"No special initiatives were taken by the government in this proposed budget for minimising 'the Digital Divide'; a promise that it had made to the United Nations," said Ahmedul Islam Babu, president of BIJF.

It was also mentioned that specific allocations for spending in the ICT sector were not made in the proposed budget. Moreover, human resource development in the ICT field was overlooked.

"Although our government mentioned that it would be using ICT as an important tool, for sustainable development of the country at the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), the matter was not reflected in the budget," said Abdul H Kafi, former president of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS).

The businesspeople involved with the ICT sector expressed frustration with the imposition of 15 percent value added tax on imported goods since 2001. He also slammed imposition of recent import duties and other charges on several items like toners and inkjet cartridges that will increase the unit price of these items by 12 to 20 percent.

"With the increase of prices, we will stand to lose customers and this will bring in illegal products," said Mostafa Shamsul Islam, managing director, Flora Computers Limited.

SM Iqbal, president, BCS, Sabur Khan, director, Daffodil Computers, Akhteruzzaman Monju, president, Ispab, TIM Nurul Kabir, vice president, Basis and MA Haque Anu, BIJF general secretary were also present at the roundtable and exchanged views on the proposed budget.